Heel-trimming machine



(No Model.)

A; McDOWELL.

HEEL TRIMMING MACHINE.

No. 304,838. Patented Sept. 9, 1884.

.51 2/672 2L0). u lex. Mflowell UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

ALEXANDER MODOWVELL, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

HEEL-TRIMMI NG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patefit No. 304,838, datedSeptember 9, 1884.

' Application filed May 1!), 1884. (No model.)

. To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that LALEXANDER MoDowELL, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at Salem, in the county of Essex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHeel-Trimming Machines for Boots or Shoes; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use'the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

This invention relates to machinery for trimming or paring the heels ofboots or shoes, and concerns especially that class of machines in whicha traveling carriage suit-ably mounted and operated moves an adjustablehead round the heel, this head being provided with aknifestock which hassemi-rotary reciprocating movement, the knife being so arranged upon thestock that it automatically accommodates itself to the varying width ofthe heel edge, in which the rear portion of the edge is much more slopin g and consequently deeper than the sides.

My improvements relate especially to the vertical adjustment of theknife-stock, and to means for stead ying the inner portion or nose ofsaid stock at or near the pivot-point of the knife, which hitherto hasbeen unsupported,

causing unsteadiness in the movement of the knife when in activeoperation.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent in Figure 1 aside and Fig. 2 a front elevation, of the movable head and knifestockbelonging to a heel trimming machine of the class above described, whileFig. 3 is a vertical central section on line as a", and Fig. 4 is afront elevation, of the adj ustable tubular eccentric bushing, to bemore fully hereinafter explained. Fig. 5 shows a modified device foreffecting vertical adjustment.

In the aboveTmentioned drawings, Arepresents the adjustable head,seeuredto the travel ing carriage by the screw A, and B thekuifestock, whichhas a reciprocating rocking movement upon the pin G, passing through thehead A. This pin is screwed into a vertical plate, D, provided with waysor guides (in a, upon which theknife-stock B is free to move whenlateral adjustment of the knifeFis desired by means of the hand-screw b.

To secure the knife-stock B to the movable head, and yet permit ofrocking movement thereon. as above mentioned, I have slightly roundedthe ends of the head andprovided and placed a flat bar or yoke, G, uponthe front side of the plate A, which is secured by bolts (2 d, whichunite the two plates D G together on each side of the carriage A, whiletwo collars, e c, are inserted over said bolts and between the plates toprevent them binding 011 the carriage A when said bolts are tightly setup. The collars bear upon the rounded ends of the yoke G, and servethereby to assist the bolt 0 to steady the knife-stock when moving. Thek nifestock is represented as being formed with two cheeks, f f betweenwhich is placed a flat spring, which bears against the knife F, thelatter moving within said cheeks while the spring maintains the knife inits proper position against the heel to be trimmed when the machine isin active operation.

The above is a brief description of a movable head, with its knife andknife-stock belong ing to a class of machines now extensively employedin trimming the heels of boots or shoes.

111 Fig. 3 the yoke G is shown as cast with a 11 ab, h, which snuglyfits a hole bored in the plate A. This hub receives and contains thebolt 0, and forms thepivot upon which the knife-stock reci procates.

To provide for the vertical adjustment of the k nife-stocik, I haveformed the bore in the plate A sufficiently large to receive aneceentrichub or tubular bushing, i, whose inner diameter will just-admit of the entrance of the hub h of the yoke G, which is free torock in the same manner as usual. This bushing i has formed upon one enda circular plate or disk, H, formed with peripheral notches j j, and isfurther provided with holes a n, &c., each of which bears the samerelative position with respect to the slot with which it co operates.

In the top of the yoke G, I have formed an adjusting gage or slot, Z, bywhich,when one of the slots j coincides with this fixed slot Z, theoperator knows that the disk H has been turned to its proper position,when he secures it rigidly for the time being by means of the set-screwm,which fits into one of the holes an, &e., ac-

cording to which notch j is uppermost. The inside face of the yoke G ishollowed out sufficiently to admit of the disk H, which is. then flushwith its inner surface when in proper po sition, and offers noobstruction in the operation of the yoke G,while it may be readily andeasily adjusted by the operator from above without touching or affectingsaid plate in any way whatsoever. Rotation of the disk H throws theknife stock up or down, according to the amount it is turned, and anyslight lateral deviation caused by this movement can be easily overcomeby adjustment through the screw 1).

My second improvement consists in supporting the inner end of theknife-stoek,which has hitherto been simply attached, where the boltenters the plate D; hence there is great strain brought upon saidboltand a tendency to slightly twist or turn the knife from its normal pathof movement when actively employed, and the latter may perhaps enter theheel, take a sheer, and either snap theknife or break the machine.Ihaveobvi atedthis difficulty by boring through the base of theknifestock B between the, cheeks 2 ff, and inserting a steel grub orset-screw, 0,

with its projecting end or extremity rounded and hardened, which bearsupon the plate A, materially supporting the knife-stock, and does noteffect the rocking motion of thelatter or increase the friction. A smallfriction-roll may be substituted for the screw with equally goodresults. There is always more or less play between the plate D and theplate or head A, to

permit of free rocking movement; hence slight turning of the screw 0will raise or lower the knifestock and maintain the nose of the latter)arallel with the base of the plate or head A, while elevation ordepression of the plate D is effected by rotation of the eccentricbushing or hub h.

I claim- 1. In heel-trimming machines, the combination,with theadjustable head bearing the pivoted rocking knife-stock and knife, ofthe tubular eccentric bushing, whereby vertical adj ustment of thelatter may be accomplished, substantially as set forth.

2. In heel trimmiug machines, the combination, with the head A, and theplates D G, pivoted thereto and carrying the knife-stock B, of thetubular eccentric bushing i, with its circular head H, as described,whereby movement of the latter effects a raising or lowering of theknife, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In heel-trimming machinery, the knifestock, operated as described,and provided at its nose or front portion with an adjustable screw,whereby support is afforded the stock and steadiness of the knifeinsured, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER MCDOWELL. \Vitnesses:

H. E. LODGE, TI-ros. T. BAILEY.

